What Flagstaff Has

A sky like this

Friends like this that let us stay in this house for the summer (Jason and Mariah)

(backside of the house)

(view from the backyard)  Pine trees!

Awesome tree houses for people without a fear of heights (To do list:  Become friends with these neighbors before the summer's over)

Bulk Trash.  Within the first week I had scavenged the curbs and found a desk, a reclining chair stools, a table, a t.v. table, a princess costume, shoes, and more.  It's how I do my part being green.

(here is a common scene in our living room...kids playing wii and half of a man's body sticking down from the ceiling)

(Here is the table, desk, and t.v. table...and the chairs were cheap at one of my favorite thrift stores)

Dinner with Uncle Jason, who Evan loves, I promise

Playtime with Karli (Jason and Mariah's daughter) and being photo bombed by Evan

Chillin' with Aunt Mariah and Josiah)

VBS that all 3 kids could go to!  Costumes scrounged up from a trip to the thrift store and trash on the side of the road.

Hand motions

Lots of hand motions

Wedding #1--with background scenery like this (we went to 3 weddings in the first 3 weeks!)

(I did not take this picture but this is how pretty it looked and how cute the bride and groom were)

Wedding #2--Sweetest bride entry that I've ever seen and sending the couple off in the middle of a monsoon rainstorm

Wedding #3--I have no picture of the bride and groom because we totally crashed the wedding!  (though I did know the bride from college, I promise)

Look what happens when you let two housewives out for a night of dancing in a room of complete strangers!

 

"The Creek" (Beaver Creek in Sedona, to be specific)

Small town 4th of July Parade in historic downtown Flagstaff=Awesome

Lots of love around town for the Yarnell 19 (the firefighters who died from nearby Prescott)

 

Jeremy's birthday request:  A few shuttle runs up Mt. Elden with his bike and his friend, Jeremiah

Not Jeremy's birthday request:  Car troubles

Not Jeremy's wife's birthday request:  No helmet for Jeremy (he forgot it)

This picture does not do the view justice.  You'll just have to come see it for yourself sometime.

(Forest wildlife)

 

Beautiful San Francisco peaks, the backdrop of life here in Flagstaff

Impending rainstorm (also not my picture, but exactly how it looked)...always part of the day's adventure here as well.  It was a little spooky watching Jeremy and Jeremiah head off into the woods with thunder rumbling close by.

Waiting in the car in the rain at the bottom of the mountain, listening to Chronicles of Narnia and being attacked by a sasquatch.

Because they couldn't go back up the mountain as many times as they wanted, they hit some jumps instead.

Kid-friendly mountain bike ride

 

Break for lunch--watch out for falling pinecones!

We pause this photo journal for an update on Annie's hair

More riding...the boys rode over 5 miles, they did great!

Annie wasn't so motivated...

So we went and watched a horse competition instead.

Waiting for the boys...

Annie and I came back the next morning to watch the cross-country equestrian event.  So fun!

 

Hiking with two college friends and their many offspring

Abandoned homesteader's cabin...it has been squashed to keep people from going inside.

The homesteader's "refrigerator"

Cliff writings

Adventure!  Exploration!  Mountain lions?  Let's not think about it.

Isaac found a stick shaped like an "I".  He wanted me to take a picture, so I did.

Forced Family Photo

Rain starting to come down hard...looking for shelter

Hiding out under the trees, wondering how close the lightning was and if we should go or stay

We went, my brave friends stayed.  I wanted one last picture of Sam, Evan and Annie.  This is what happened while we waited for Evan, the stinker.

Finally, cooperation.  (Evan's sweatshirt=another trash find)

Lake Mary for a birthday party

Almost 4 years old!

Storm coming?

Dock jumping

Friends floating

Noodle horse

(he didn't land on Sam's head)

Youthful strength and innocence, arms bronzed by summer sun

Independent Annie jumps all by herself

 

And today, a quiet afternoon with old friends...watching the clouds gather and wondering if they'll ruin our plans to go to Lowell Observatory (discovery site of Pluto) tonight...playing DSIs while Annie wanders around aimlessly.  I guess I'll go play with her or do some laundry.  Oh, rude awakening...Flagstaff has laundry to do and meals to cook.  Vacation is never REALLY a vacation, is it?